Corrosion of reinforcing steel in simulated concrete pore solutions: Effect of carbonation and chloride content

The corrosion susceptibility of as-received reinforcing steel bars (rebars) in solutions simulating the pore liquid of alkaline and carbonated concrete has been studied by means of potentiodynamic polarisation tests and polarisation resistance measurements. The effect of different degrees of carbonation and the presence of several chloride contents in the simulated pore solutions was investigated. Results show the beneficial effect of high alkalinity on the localised corrosion of steel caused by chloride ions. From the results of the potentiodynamic tests a critical chloride concentration above which pitting could take place was evaluated for each solution. The chloride threshold values here found are of the same order than those previously reported in the literature for film-free steel. The results obtained in solutions simulating carbonated concrete showed that under weak carbonation conditions carbon steel does not passivate while in the presence of high levels of carbonate and bicarbonate the resistance to localised corrosion is improved.